Changing Tides
by Laurahjess.xoxo
Summary: "Change is good" she tells herself. Things are changing at the Lyell Centre. Dr Nikki Alexander's world is shifting, but can she learn to let go of somebody who holds a special place in her heart or will the changing tide sweep her away? Rated T just in case. (New Character. NikkixHarry NikkixJack)
1. Change is Good

1.

Dr Nikki Alexander woke feeling positive about the day. She had had a few rough weeks but things were now looking up. She had always been one for looking on the brighter side after all. Nikki knew things had to change, and she knew it was for the better. Change was good, she kept reminding herself.

The Lyell Centre had lost an important member of staff recently and Nikki had not only had to say goodbye to a colleague but a friend. She knew very well that Harry Cunningham was better off in his new job in New York, but that didn't make it any easier. He had been requested on the grounds of his hard work and professionalism. In other words, Harry was too good. Nikki hadn't wanted him to leave, and not only for selfish reasons. The Lyell Centre worked so well with him that Nikki had struggled to imagine working without him. She would miss everything about him, but she had to face the fact that he was one hundred per cent the right man for the job he had been offered, and although it was hard, she was happy for him.

As she drove, Nikki let her memory wander.

"_I can't take this job, Nikki. I can't just leave you one man down," Harry muttered as he sat on the bench in the scrubs room. He had changed back into his dark jeans and black shirt and now ran a hand through his hair with a worried sigh. Nikki finished washing her hands and closed her locker before taking a seat beside him. She looked sideways at him without saying a word and he finally swung his eyes to meet hers. She was fiercely torn between agreeing with him, begging him to stay, and doing what was best._

"_Harry, do you value my opinion?" she said finally. _

"_Yes. What's on your mind?" he replied with a grin. _

"_This professorship in New York is the opportunity you've been waiting for. You're good at your job, one of the best pathologists I know in fact. I have so much respect for you, but I have to say that for a smart man, sometimes you're so stupid," Nikki laughed, shaking her head. _

_Harry barked a laugh and shrugged his shoulders in surrender. His brows knitted in amused confusion and he shifted his body so he was facing her fully. "Do I get to ask why that is?" _

"_Of course we're going to be a man down, and no pathologist in a million miles of here could ever replace you. But we will manage without you. If you don't take this position then you'll regret it forever. Leo is aware that we will need a new member of staff, and I trust him to employ the best. So don't let this place stop you from taking the position," Nikki said, meaning every word. He looked at her, processing what she had just said. His eyes drank her in, memorising everything from her neatly braided blonde hair to her soft brown eyes, her determined yet playful smile and delicate high cheekbones. _

_The corners of Harry's mouth curved into a smile and he sighed heavily. _

"_You know I'm going to miss you terribly, Dr Nikki Alexander," he breathed. _

"_I'm going to miss you too, Professor Harry Cunningham," she grinned, bumping her shoulder affectionately against his. _


	2. Close Your Eyes

**Another short chapter here, I will start to write longer ones when we get into the story a little bit more.**

**Thanks for reading, please review kindly :)  
**

**Much love  
**

**xoxo**

* * *

2.

Nikki pulled her car smoothly into her usual parking space in the Lyell Centre car-park and swung out. She headed up the stairs, swiped her ID badge through the machine and pushed open the doors. Her heels clicked methodically on the tiled floor, disturbing the morning silence. She glanced at her watch and confirmed that she was ten minutes early, just like always. She let herself into the office which she had shared with Harry, and took her place at her desk. It was quiet, the only sound coming from the hands of the clock which ticked loudly above the door. Without meaning to, Nikki's eyes moved to the empty desk opposite hers. She sighed heavily as she dropped her head backwards, annoyed with herself for letting her thoughts stray again.

"You're early," a lightly accented voice said from the doorway, causing her to jump out of her thoughts. Nikki's eyes snapped to focus on the tall man leaning against the doorjamb.

"Jack, you can't just sneak up on people," she gasped, putting a hand over her heart as if she could physically stop it from hammering against her chest.

Jack Hodgson had been hired by Leo as the new senior member of staff. He had previously worked for the police as a forensic scientist and had worked on various murder investigations. Nikki had met him several weeks ago at the crime scene of a suspicious death and he had worked closely with her on the case. Both she and Leo had spotted his potential and Leo had offered him the job of forensic expert shortly after the case came to a close. The Lyell Centre had been struggling, drowning under the pressure to change for the better and Jack's headstrong, self-assured approach had been good for the team.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he grinned, stepping fully into the room and folding himself into the chair at the desk which was now scattered with his things. Nikki had cleared Harry's belongings from the drawer's just days before Jack had taken permanent residence at the desk. There had been nothing of value in there, but emptying Harry's space had seemed to finalise his absence.

"You didn't scare me, I'm just not used to people being around at this time," she argued stubbornly, glancing up at the clock. The hands stood at five to eight and the second hand tapped monotonously as it counted down to the next minute, "why are you here so early?"

"I was hoping to get you alone," he teased with a grin, cocking his head to one side.

Nikki rolled her eyes and logged onto the computer system. While she waited for the desktop to load, she gave Jack a once over. He had fresh bruising around his left eye and a split lip which the healing process had caused to swell slightly.

"Rough night?" she asked with an amused smile, her eyebrows shooting up.

"You could say that. I've had worse," he replied with a half smile, leaning back in his chair and stretching his hands behind his head.

"I still don't understand why you would go looking for a fight," Nikki said quietly, turning her attention back to the screen in front of her. There were no outstanding cases or post-mortems to complete, but there was paperwork to be done. There was always paperwork to be done.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," Jack grinned.

"I won't," she replied, meeting his eyes over the top of the monitor.

"I'll let you come watch a fight one day," he said with a cocky smirk.

Nikki was about to shoot him a smart retort but she was distracted by the harsh ring of the phone. Without breaking eye contact with Jack she lifted the receiver and pressed it to her ear.

"The Lyell Centre, Dr Nikki Alexander speaking," she said, her voice taking a professional tone.

* * *

Half an hour later Nikki and Jack stood at the top of a hill, the cold wind whipping about them, snatching at their white overalls and sending a chill across their skin. The body of a blonde woman lay at their feet; her eyes wide open in a never ending stare. She was wearing nothing but a white sheet that had been loosely wrapped around her, leaving her body vulnerable to the elements.

Nikki was crouched down beside her and with a gloved hand she delicately pulled back the mass of blonde hair which was matted with blood.

"I'll be able to tell more when I've done the post-mortem, but it looks like she was hit in the head with a heavy object. There appears to be little damage to the rest of the body but I'll have to take a closer look to determine cause of death." She glanced up at the Detective who stood several paces away. "Any idea who she is?" she asked.

"Callie North, she was reported missing a week ago when she didn't show for work," the young Detective replied, looking down at the girl with a sad expression on his face. Nikki nodded and straightened up, glancing over to Jack who was pacing around the area, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Found anything?" she called.

"A set of footprints, no murder weapon as of yet," he replied.

Nikki looked down at the girl's face which was drained of colour and stained with dirt from exposure. She was only young, possibly in her mid-twenties, but her life had been cut short in a terrible act of violence. Somewhere a family was waiting for the news of the death of their daughter, sister, possibly mother. Soon a family would be torn apart with grief, and Nikki would do everything she could to give them the closure and answers that they needed. Bending down, she gently used her fingertips to close Callie's eyes for the last time.


	3. At This Reasonable Hour

3.

Nikki jiggled the key in the temperamental lock, swearing under her breath when it caught and refused to budge. She jammed her shoulder against the heavy wood and tumbled inside. The house was in complete darkness and Nikki dropped her keys into the dish on the hallway table before switching the lights on. She listened to the silence which greeted her and felt a slight sadness in her chest. After shaking off her coat and unwinding her scarf, she retrieved her mail from the doormat and headed into the kitchen. Several bills, a number of leaflets and junk-mail and one single plain brown envelope. She flicked the news on to catch up on the day's events, placed the letters on the counter and set about opening a bottle of wine. She poured herself a well-deserved glass and put the open bottle away in the fridge before taking a seat on a barstool. She kicked off her shoes and began to peel open the brown envelope. She dropped her eyes from the TV in order to peer inside.

"Strange," she mumbled to herself as she took out the piece of cream card. She turned it over in her hands. Both sides were blank. With a shrug of her shoulders she slid it back into the envelope and put it to one side. She knew sometimes official documents were misprinted or letters were posted through the wrong door.

By the time she had finished her glass of wine and made herself some dinner the time had reached ten and she was fighting off sleep. She stacked the dishes beside the sink, telling herself she would wash them tomorrow. After making sure all of the doors were locked, she left the downstairs in darkness and headed for her bed. The fairy-lights which she kept entwined around her banister gave enough light for her to see her way up the stairs, casting a soft glow about the hallway. As she headed towards her bedroom she peered inside the spare room and felt her heart warm slightly.

"_Harry I won't have you staying in a hotel while your apartment is sorted, you'll stay in my spare room," she insisted, sitting at her desk across from Harry's, her hands resting on her stomach. Harry looked up and considered her for a long moment._

"_I can't ask you to do that Nikki, I'll be fine. It's only for a short time," he said, shaking his head. _

"_Not at all, here's my keys, go home and get a shower. You can get your things and move into the spare room right away," she snapped, leaning forwards and rooting in her handbag at her feet. Her fingers clasped around her keys and she chucked them to Harry. He caught them in one hand and looked at them._

"_Are you sure, I really don't want to be putting you out," he said._

"_Nonsense, now go. It's a quiet day, we don't need you," Nikki teased. _

_Harry stood and crossed to her desk. He leaned down and took her face in his hands before placing an exaggerated kiss on her cheek. She giggled under his touch and he mussed up her hair affectionately. _

"_You're a wonderful woman, you know that right?" he grinned before turning and heading out of the office. Nikki realised she was still beaming and cleared her throat as she felt Leo's amused gaze trained on her from where he stood at the coffee machine. _

As if Leo had caught her smiling now, she felt a blush rise to her cheeks and dragged a hand across her lips. Harry had stayed with her for just a few days after his apartment had been the casualty of a gas leak explosion. But those few days of his constant company had been enough for her to miss him when he no longer occupied the room. She crossed to the freshly made bed and ran her hand across the duvet, taking a seat just at the end.

"_Nikki, what time is it?" Harry murmured with a smile, peering up at the blonde woman who sat cross legged on the bed. He was neatly tucked under the heavy covers, lying on his back with his arms folded behind his head. Nikki was sat in the centre of the mattress on top of the duvet, her forehead creased with a thoughtful frown. She had interrupted his sleep by shouting through from the bedroom next to his before storming in and throwing the lights on. She had proceeded by climbing onto the bed and launching into a theory on the case they were working on. Harry had listened carefully, failing to clutch at any remains of sleep he might have salvaged. He loved the way Nikki's mind worked, so randomly and yet so clearly. She could be in the middle of saying one thing when the pieces of any other puzzle snapped into place. She was the most intelligent woman he knew._

"_Nikki?" Harry questioned when she didn't reply, his smile deepening. _

"_Huh?" she asked, her head snapping towards him as she came out of her thoughts._

"_The time?" he laughed. _

"_Oh, almost three. Sorry I woke you; I just had a thought…" she grinned. _

"_I think it's worth looking into. Tomorrow. At a reasonable hour," Harry said, rolling onto his side and pulling the duvet further around him. Nikki nodded and touched her head gently against his shoulder before rolling off the double bed, flicking the lights off and heading out of the room. He listened to the soft patter of her footsteps and then the silence which followed, but he didn't close his eyes._

"_Goodnight!" she called from her bedroom._

"_Night!" he called back, shutting his eyes and happily accepting sleep. _

Nikki woke to the loud rattling of her front door. She froze where she lay, not daring to move. She glanced across at her alarm clock as the numbers blinked ten thirty. Listening carefully she heard the rattling again and threw her legs out of the bed. Grabbing her dressing gown, she wrapped herself inside and rushed down the stairs. She pressed her eye to the small peep glass and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" she groaned as she threw open the door. He sure knew how to time things well...

"I brought pizza!" he grinned a little too cheerily, holding up a box of takeout.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked.

"Ten, did I wake you up? Don't tell me you go to bed at ten! Come on Nikki you're supposed to be a grown up," Jack laughed and Nikki couldn't help but smile.

"How do you know where I live?" she asked.

"I have my ways. Cute PJ's," he smirked, "not really pizza eating attire."

"Why did you bring pizza?" she quizzed, standing aside to let him in, "and they are sleeping attire," she added, peering down at herself.

"I was in the area. Anyway, I still owe you from when you saved my ass the other week," Jack reminded her, "nice place." he said, looking around, "why the fairy lights?"

"They remind me that there are always beautiful things in the darkness," Nikki replied, running her hands through her hair and fighting a yawn.

"Poetic," Jack smiled fondly.

"Is there any chance you can owe me some other time, I may be a grown up but I'm a tired grown up," she grinned.

"Sure, this box is empty anyway I was hungry on the walk here," Jack replied with a shrug. Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Excellent," she said giving him a sarcastic thumbs up. She held the door open and looked outside and then back at Jack.

"Right yes, you'll let me buy you pizza though, I don't like being in debt to people," Jack smiled as he took the hint, stepping back outside.

"Of course, just at a more reasonable hour," Nikki answered, watching as Jack loped down the driveway. He seemed so casual and carefree, not a worry in the world.

"I can't believe you go to bed at ten!" he turned around at the end of the pathway and called back. Even in the moonlight Nikki could see his playful grin.


	4. The Start of Trouble

4.

Jack Hodgson stood in the observer's box, his hands braced on the windowsill and his body leaning forwards as he watched Nikki work. His brow was creased in a thoughtful frown and he only half listened to her commentary over the speakers. Detective Dave Colloway was stood beside him, waiting for Nikki's verdict on how the girl died. The police report on the blonde victim had been passed onto the Lyell Centre this morning, leaving only the post mortem to be completed before they could give the family full closure.

Her name was Callie North and she was twenty two years old. She had been a nurse at the Hope's Royal Hospital and up until twenty four hours ago she had been a happy healthy daughter to Mr and Mrs North, sister to Emily and Frankie North and girlfriend of William Carter. Now she was another body on the table, another victim of a violent crime.

"Cause of death is blunt force trauma to the head. No sign of sexual assault despite the state of undress she was found in. From the amount of blood she will have lost, I suspect we only saw the dumpsite and the primary crime scene is elsewhere. She has a number of defence wounds on her arms and wrists which suggests she put up a fight, but other than that there are no other injuries," Nikki said as she inspected each arm in turn. When she was finished she turned to face the large glass window and unpeeled her gloves.

"Thanks Nikki," Colloway said with a nod before striding out of the room.

Jack was sat at his desk, his feet planted on the ground as he slowly rotated himself slightly to the left and then slightly to the right.

"You get home alright then last night?" Nikki asked with a smile as she strolled into the office. She had swapped her scrubs for black jeans, a pale pink blouse and a black blazer which was cinched at the waist. Jack had to admit that she looked good. Her hair was tied up in a bun and as she moved to the coffee machine she pulled the pin out so her curls fell freely to just past her shoulders.

"Yes fine thanks, the walk was a bit of a trek but I made it in the end," he replied, letting his eyes roam over her briefly. She had a good figure, dainty and she dressed well yet professionally. Jack couldn't deny that she was beautiful, but in a sophisticated way. He drew his eyes to hers as she turned to face him.

"Coffee?" she asked, holding up the cafetiere. He shook his head no and she poured herself a mug before taking a seat opposite him.

"So you live alone, right?" Jack asked, keeping his tone casual as he resumed his slight spinning on the chair. Nikki looked at him for a long moment before she answered, clutching the mug between her hands.

"Yes, I live alone," she replied, leaning forwards. The question of why was implied by her raised eyebrows.

"Interesting," he said quickly, pushing off his feet and completing a full turn on the chair. When it came to rest facing the doorway he saw Leo stood watching him and sat abruptly upright, grabbing the corner of the desk to steady himself.

"Working hard, Jack," he said, glancing at Jack's position on the desk chair. "They've found another body. I'd go, but I have a stack of paperwork, do you mind?" he added, turning to face Nikki with a hopeful smile.

"Not a problem."

* * *

Nikki drove home, her thoughts with the dead. Another young woman had been found just hours after she had finished the post mortem of the first. She had been discovered in woodlands just miles away from the first dumpsite by a dog walker in the early afternoon. She had blonde hair like Callie and the same brown eyes. Her naked body had also been wrapped messily in a white sheet. Detective Colloway told Nikki at the site that her name was Rosie Johnson, a twenty five year old medical student who had gone out with friends the night before and never returned home. Her post mortem was scheduled to be the following day, but Nikki already suspected the results would be similar to those of Callie North's.

She breathed a worried sigh as she pulled into her driveway, spotting the early signs of trouble. These women were innocent, with positive careers and futures, and yet they were never going to fulfil their ambitions or live those futures. Their families were never going to see their lively smiles or feel fresh pride for their precious and treasured children again. Where there had once been light and happiness in their lives was now grief and darkness. No parent should outlive their child.

Nikki cut the engine and swung out of the car. Her security light flashed into life, lighting the driveway as she moved up the porch steps. As she pawed through her bag for her keys, she heard footsteps in the garden next door and turned her head to see her neighbour stood at the fence.

"Hello Paul is everything okay?" she asked, her fingers clasping her keys and sliding the correct one into the lock.

"Hi Nikki, I'm okay thank you, how about yourself I haven't seen you much lately," the friendly elderly man smiled. He was short with a tumble of grey wispy hair and a weathered face lined with age. Nikki was fairly new to the neighbourhood after moving from her apartment building, but Paul had been nothing but welcoming.

"I've just been busy with work, how's Sheila?" she asked after his wife and their grandchildren and he replied as he always did. They said goodnight and she was about to go inside when Paul spoke again from halfway up his pathway.

"Oh and Nikki, a man came by just a few minutes before you arrived home looking for you," he said.

"Did he leave a name?"

"I can't say I remember, I'm almost eighty you know, he just said he wanted to see you. He was tall, dark hair, charming; said you knew him…" he explained, waving his hand in front of him as he spoke, gesturing for Nikki to fill in the gaps.

"Okay thank you, take care Paul," Nikki smiled, waved goodbye and made her way inside.

Jack.

He was not going to give up on taking her for pizza.

Following her usual routine she checked the mail and answering machine. No post or messages except a single brown envelope. She frowned and tore it open as she walked through to the kitchen. A single piece of blank white card was inside. What were the chances of the wrong mail being sent to her house two days in a row, she wondered, shaking her head and sliding it back inside the envelope. She put it onto the breakfast bar on top of the one she had received the previous day and pulled open the fridge to search for dinner ingredients. She made a mental note to ask Paul to keep an eye out for anybody delivering post to her house so she could tell them that the brown envelopes were being sent to the wrong address.

At exactly ten o'clock Nikki's phone rang out into the quiet of the house. She was curled up on the sofa watching a programme about medical care in India and was startled by the harsh trill tone. She didn't recognise the number on the screen.

"Hello?" she said, pressing the receiver to her ear.

There was the sound of somebody speaking on the end of the line, but she couldn't pick out any words being spoken to her. The voice was muffled and then another began to speak, but their words were too far away to hear.

"Hello?" Nikki said again. This time the voices stopped and there was a deadly silence.

"Is somebody there?" she asked. Nobody replied.

"I can hear you breathing, who is this?" Nikki pressed, taking the phone away to look at the number again. She didn't think she had seen it before.

"Keep them," said a hushed voice from the receiver before the line went dead and she was left listening to the dial tone.


	5. Do Your Job and I'll Do Mine

**So I should be doing a history essay, but instead I'm sat here typing this. Since I like Jack and Nikki a lot more than I like my history teacher, I thought this would be a better way to spend my time. Hope you enjoy (Laura). Much love xoxo**

* * *

5.

Nikki tossed and turned, but her mind would not find peace or sleep. She knew it was just a wrong number, but something about the voice had caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. She had immediately tried ringing the phone back but it had been switched off. Other than the phone call, she was thinking about the bodies waiting for her in the morning. Something connected Callie and Rosie and the case was not sitting right in Nikki's mind. She glanced at her alarm clock and groaned when she realised it had only been ten minutes since she last looked. It was going to be a long night.

At six thirty the next morning, Nikki's phone rang on her bedside table, jerking her into awareness. She groped for the Blackberry and without checking the caller ID she answered.

"Nikki Alexander," she murmured.

"Nikki, you sound tired," Jack's cheerful voice called from the other end of the phone. Nikki let out a frustrated sigh and rolled onto her back, refusing to open her eyes. The morning sky outside was still dark as night and the birds had not yet begun to sing. Whatever Jack wanted, it better be worth waking her at this early hour.

"What is it Jack?" she asked.

"Since you were sent to the last two crime scenes, I've been ordered to start on this one, but I think you should probably get here. There isn't much I can do on my own, being forensics and all," Jack explained. Nikki could hear the sound of wind rushing past the phone and Jack was raising his voice slightly so she could hear him. There was also the sound of rushing water somewhere in the background.

"Where are you?" she asked, rubbing one hand over her eyes.

"At the beach, how long will it take you to get here, the tide's coming in?" he said.

Nikki's heart began to beat a little faster in her chest and she gritted her teeth before asking her next question.

"Is it another girl?" she said quietly.

"Yes."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," she whispered.

* * *

"Amy Barker, she's a twenty nine year old paediatrician who didn't turn up for work yesterday but was never reported missing despite it being out of character," Detective Colloway said as he paced back and forth on the sand. Jack stood with his hands in his pockets watching as Nikki moved her own gloved hands over the body. She was frowning as she lifted back the hair and assessed her bare arms and legs.

"I think we're going to find the cause of death the same as Callie North," she finally said, looking over her shoulder. She glanced at him and their eyes met for the briefest of moments, but it was enough for him to see that something bigger was bothering her. She straightened up and brushed sand from her white overalls. The coroners began to load the body into the back of the van ready to be transported back to the Lyell Centre for the post mortem.

"Looks like we've got a serial killer on our hands, Jack," she whispered quietly after she had closed the distance between them. He had been sharing the same thought after the discovery of Rosie Johnson's body and his fears were only confirmed by the third finding. He searched her face and dragged a hand across his jaw.

"I think you may be right," he said carefully.

"You _think_? Jack they're all in the medical profession, killed by blunt force trauma to the head, dumped naked yet wrapped in a sheet, blonde… What more do we need to accept that there is a serial killer out there?" Nikki hissed, anger boiling in her veins.

"Is everything okay?" Colloway asked as he approached the pair. Nikki didn't tear her eyes away from Jack, but she angled her body towards the Detective. When Jack didn't move to say a word, she took the leap.

"I think these girls were killed by the same person," she stated, keeping her voice as calm as she could. Colloway took a long moment to take in her comment before stepping closer and taking her by the arm.

"We can't say just yet, we don't want to cause a panic," he said.

"We should warn people, women, that there may be a serial killer at work," Nikki went on, shaking her head in disbelief at his dismissal.

"Dr Alexander, I'm asking you not to press this matter. Do your job and I'll do mine. We'll find whoever is doing this, but we don't want to throw the words 'serial killer' out to the public. The media will snap it up like the sharks they are, and make our job much harder than it needs to be, harder than it already is," Colloway said.

Nikki bit her lip to resist snapping at the young Detective. He could be no older than thirty, and yet the creases around his eyes suggested the job had taken its toll on him. She could identify with how he felt; seeing the worst in people every day wasn't easy. He saw, just as she did, how cruel people can be to others, and how actions can tear a life away so easily. She also knew very well how harsh the media could be, turning somebody's pain and heartache into grimy headlines and stories all for the sake of pennies. The girls deserved better than that. The families deserved better than that. She swallowed her fear and her anger and nodded gently.

"I understand, sorry if I spoke out of line," she mumbled before turning away. Jack fell into step beside her as they walked up the beach towards her car.

"You okay?" he asked, looking sideways at her.

"Yeah I'm fine," she smiled, but the worry was still there at the back of her mind. She knew that there was nothing more she could do, but that very fact made her angrier than anything else. She was only useful to these women after they were dead, and she was haunted by this.

* * *

As they had both suspected, the cause of death for both Rosie Johnson and Amy Barker matched that of Callie North. Nikki finished cleaning up and headed to scrub down. Jack was waiting for her outside afterwards and he was holding her coat and bag.

"What's this?" she asked with a grin.

"Leo doesn't need us here, the police are out following a lead and you look like you could do with getting out of here for a while," he smiled. She couldn't help but laugh as he held the coat open for her to slide her arms inside. Once she had, he put his hands on her shoulder and turned her to face him. He was a good head taller than her, so she was tilting her face slightly to meet his eyes.

"I'm taking you out, and not because I owe you, even though I still do, but because I think you deserve it," he said, all jokes aside. The smile fell from her face at his words and she began to shake her head.

"Jack, we need…"

"No excuses Nikki, come on," he cried, holding his hands out to stop her, "what use are you here? You've done your bit," he added, holding out his arm for her.

"I suppose you're right," she murmured, looping her own through his.

"Exactly, as soon as they find anything, they'll call," he encouraged, already steering her towards the doors. He was aware of how this case was affecting her, which was all the more reason to take her mind of things for a short while.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you Jack Hodgson!" Nikki grinned as they took the steps arm in arm towards the car park. Outside the sky was a dark shade of grey and heavy clouds loomed ominously overhead with the threat of rain. Jack led the way to his car and she dropped into the passenger seat just as the first spots began to fall. Out of the corner of her eye she swore she saw somebody watching them stood at the opposite side of the car park. She waited to see if they were looking for their car, but the figure didn't move. He was stood, too far away to make out his face, staring. Nikki leaned forward in her seat to try and get a better look, but the windscreen was beginning to blur with the raindrops. By the time Jack started the engine and flicked on the wipers, whoever it had been was gone.


	6. Haunted

6.

"So you think this is the work of a serial killer?" Jack asked as he placed the two coffee mugs down on the table. He slid into the seat opposite Nikki and leaned forwards slightly, waiting for her to speak. Nikki had been lost in thought and she had to take a second to focus on the topic of conversation.

"You don't?" she replied, curling her hands around the mug, "thanks for this," she added, nodding down at the coffee with a smile. Jack dismissed this with a wave of his hand.

"There is no way that the murders of these girls are unrelated," he shrugged, "but something else is bothering you." He said, studying her carefully as she played with the bracelet hanging loosely on her wrist. He had noticed she only ever did this when she was thinking carefully about something.

"I've seen a lot of murdered bodies, Jack. They come through our doors and we do our job, and we tell the police everything we know in order for them to do their job. Their families grieve and they bury their dead. My part in their existence is complete and I can move on happy in the knowledge that I've done everything I can to help," she explained, meeting his eyes across the table. He could see something hidden there, something shadowed, weighing her down inside. He waited patiently for her to continue.

"But there is something different about these murders which gets to me. I don't know what it is but it scares me," she continued, lifting her mug to her lips and taking a sip.

"How old were you when you qualified as a pathologist?" Jack asked carefully. Nikki frowned at him, caught off guard by his question.

"Twenty five, why?"

"These girls were all in their twenties, and they were either training to be or qualified in the medical profession. You identify with them more than any of us because you know where they've been, even if you don't realise it. They were successful, strong women, just like you. You see yourself in them, and it bothers you. It's normal for certain cases to get to us in a different way to the rest. Like you said, all we can do is our job. You're good at your job, Nikki. The police will do theirs and they'll catch whoever is doing this. You'll be alright kiddo," Jack smiled, reaching across the table and putting his hand on her arm. He gave it a gentle comforting squeeze and she put her hand over his.

"Maybe you're right; I just can't get them out of my head. Normally when I go home I can leave work behind. But they're following me there," she said quietly, "I couldn't sleep last night because all I could see was their faces." As she said this, a thought floated to the forefront of her mind.

"My neighbour said he saw you at my house last night again," she grinned. Jack slowly withdrew his hand from her arm and leaned back in his seat.

"You mean the other night when I came with pizza?" he asked, his lips tipping up at the corners in a cheeky smile.

"No last night. You just missed me, he said. I presume it was you still trying to settle your debt?" she laughed, arching her eyebrows at him.

"As much as I want to make it up to you, I wasn't at your house last night," he smiled, winking at her.

"Are you sure?" Nikki asked. Usually his flirtatious comments would put a smile on her face, but this one caused a frown to knit its way onto her brow and uneasiness to settle in her stomach.

"I think I can remember as far back as last night Nikki," Jack laughed, running a hand through his hair. He pointed to a fresh cut on his cheekbone and added, "How do you think I got this? Looks like you have another admirer on your hands."

* * *

That night as Nikki drove home; she couldn't help but wonder who had been at her house the previous night if it hadn't been Jack. She shook the thought out of her head as she pulled into her driveway, brushing it off as it could have been anybody. Just as she stepped out of her car she saw the figure stood on her porch. The security light flickered into life, illuminating a pale face and black overalls. Nikki stopped in her tracks, but before she could say a word, the man dashed down the porch steps, pushing past her, vaulted over the fence and took off down the road. Nikki steadied herself, but she was trembling all over. What had a man in all black overalls been doing at her house which would cause him to run away like that? She rushed up the steps and with shaking hands she unlocked the front door. Checking over her shoulder she hurried inside. Goosebumps brushed their way across Nikki's skin despite the warmth of the house, and icy fingers tiptoed down her spine when she saw the three brown envelopes on the doormat. She brushed her hair off her face as she bent to pick them up. All three had her name scribbled across the front in messy black handwriting, over and over in a desperate repetitive loop. With her heart in her throat she tore the first open and shook the piece of white card into her palm. It looked as plain as the others she had received, but when she turned it over she saw the five words which made her blood run cold.

'_Why can't you save them?' _

Nikki stuffed the card back inside and tore open the other two envelopes. The same words were splashed across the same white card, scribbled over and over again covering both sides. The letters were sharp and jagged, screaming at her from the page. Nikki let out a frustrated gasp, strode into the kitchen and stuffed all the envelopes together. Just as she was reaching for her phone, it rang out, startling her.

"Hello?" she snapped.

Nothing.

Nikki glanced down at the caller ID. The number was unknown.

"Is this some kind of joke, because it isn't funny," she yelled into the receiver.

Silence.

"Who is this?" she cried.

Without a word the line went dead. As soon as it did, Nikki punched in another number and held the phone to her ear. Her breath came in shaky gasps and she paced back and forth, trying to calm herself. As she waited for him to answer, she strode to the back door and shook the handle, checking it was locked. She pulled the chiffon blind out of the way and her eyes scanned the dark garden for any sign of movement. She told herself she was being stupid and paranoid, her logical brain screaming at her to calm down. But another part of her was terrified.

"What's up," Jack finally answered, his tone casual and friendly.

At the sound of his voice, Nikki let out a long sigh and felt a slither of relief creep its way into her system.

"Jack, what are you doing tonight?" she asked quickly, letting the blind fall back into place.

"Well I was going to do a whole lot of nothing, but what do you have in mind?" he replied.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come round for something to eat. I've had the strangest evening and I could really do with having somebody here with me," she found the words tumbling from her mouth before she could stop them.

"Is everything okay?" Jack asked softly. Nikki paused for a long moment before responding.

"I don't know," she replied honestly.

"I'll be there in five."


	7. The Lady in Ink

7.

Jack noticed the panic in her voice even through the phone. She was good at controlling it, but he hadn't missed the long breath of relief she had taken when he had answered her call. Something had spooked her, and she needed him. After their conversation over coffee he had not been able to take his mind off her. The truth was he was worried about her. There was something special about Nikki that he had noticed the first time they had met. She was possibly the most intelligent woman he knew, and yet she was so modest about it. She had the kindest heart, and she saw the good in people even when they didn't deserve it. She had the ability to lighten the mood and put a smile on his face, and in the short time they had known one another, he had gotten to know her quite well. She was strong willed and annoyingly stubborn, and he would never admit to her that he liked her that way. They got along well together in and out of the workplace, and he would consider her not only a colleague, but a friend. He hadn't expected to see her name on the caller ID when his phone rang that evening, but he wasn't unhappy about it.

He had taken her call in the middle of a pool game, but after he hung up he placed the cue down and shrugged into his dark jacket.

"I'm out," he called to the guys before grabbing his keys.

"Booty call!" they hollered after him, but he just ignored their comments as he pushed through the bar doors and jogged to his car. A light rain was beginning to fall again after it had eased off earlier, but Jack barely noticed it as he strode across to the car park. The drive to Nikki's house was only ten minutes but he took a detour on the way.

Nikki heard the demanding knock at the door and her first reaction was panic. She stopped in the middle of her kitchen and shook herself for being so jumpy. When she looked through the peephole she was more than relieved to see Jack stood on her porch.

"There actually is pizza in here this time!" Jack cried as soon as the door swung open. He was holding a giant takeout box on her porch steps for not the first time this week. Nikki couldn't help but laugh, and the sound put a smile on Jack's face. He hadn't heard her properly laugh since Callie North's body had been found and it was good to have the old Nikki back, even for just a moment. She opened the door wide and he stepped inside.

The last time Jack was at Nikki's house he hadn't had time to take in his surroundings. As she led the way through to the kitchen he couldn't help but think it resembled Nikki in every way, from the delicately bright fairy lights winding their way up the stairs to the pastel coloured wallpaper to the bright flowers on the hallway table. The smell of lavender and lime tinted the air and several black and white photographs of her family hung on the walls. It was neat and bright, subtle but a statement. Nothing was too big or too small, too flashy or bare. The kitchen was open plan, all pine and cream with a large workspace and smooth black appliances. Jack whistled as he placed the pizza box down on the breakfast bar and hoisted himself onto a barstool.

"Nice," he said simply.

"Its home," she smiled.

"So what's going on with you?" he asked, getting straight to the point. He had never been one for beating around the bush.

"There was a man at my house this evening when I got home, dressed in all black, and when he saw me he freaked out and bolted. I've also been getting these delivered, I presume by hand, to my house every day for the last few days, and tonight is not the first night I've had a phone call from an unknown number," she explained in a hurry, sliding the pile of brown envelopes across the counter towards him, "it's probably nothing but I feel uneasy tonight, I don't want to be alone."

Jack listened carefully and dragged a hand across his jaw. He slowly opened the top envelope and shook out the piece of card. Nikki watched as he read the words splashed across the page.

"Do you think they're connected to our case?" she asked, pacing backwards and forwards across the kitchen.

"I'm not sure. Somebody would have to know you're the pathologist on the case, but it's not impossible," Jack mumbled, taking out all the other pieces of card and laying them out across the worktop.

"Who else would they be referring to though?" Nikki asked, her voice shaking, "I think somebody's been watching me," She added.

Jack raised his eyes to look at her and he was concerned at the fear he saw in her face.

"You need to take these to the police," he said, holding up a single brown envelope, "I'll see if I can get any prints from them in the lab, if they're connected to our bodies then we'll find connecting DNA."

Nikki nodded her head but she continued to pace back and forth.

"What did the phone call say?" Jack asked, casually flipping open the takeout box.

"Nothing, just breathing and silence. It could be unrelated, but it's happened twice in two nights now… And there's a killer out there," she replied, her voice wavering just slightly.

Jack got to his feet from where he was sat and moved towards her. He stepped in her pathway to stop her pacing, took her gently by the shoulders and ducked his head so that they were at eye level. "Nothing is going to happen to you Nikki, I promise," he said.

Suddenly, as if on cue, Nikki's mobile rang out on the counter top. She froze and they both turned their eyes on it. Jack picked it up and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

There was a long moment of silence, but then there was a frustrated sigh and the sound of shoes tapping across tiles.

"Who is this?" a harsh male voice snapped. It was slightly muffled, as if they were speaking through a face mask.

"You're calling me, so I think I should be asking that question. How did you get this number?" Jack asked. Nikki was stood with her hands clasped over her mouth, watching him as he spoke to the caller.

"You answered her phone, is she there? Are you with her now? Why are you answering her phone?" the voice demanded, his tone accusatory and offended.

"Who is 'she' to you?" Jack questioned.

"Put her on the phone, I have no business with you," the caller snapped impatiently.

"Tell me who's calling and I'll pass you over," Jack suggested, meeting Nikki's worried gaze.

"I don't make deals; tell her another will die tonight."

There was a frightened scream somewhere in the distance on the end of the line, and then the call cut out.

Jack swore loudly and slammed the phone down.

"What is it?" Nikki cried.

"He's definitely connected to our case."

* * *

Neither Jack nor Nikki felt much like eating.

Nikki had phoned Detective Colloway straight away and explained everything. He had officers on high alert for anything suspicious. After she got off the phone, all she wanted to do was scream. The killer was out there somewhere ready to strike at any moment, and there was nothing she could do about it. If she hadn't felt helpless enough before, this sure topped it off. Almost an hour exactly after she had phoned Colloway, her phone chirped to life again. She picked it up straight away and waited for the bad news.

"There's been another one, Westers Pond. This time it's different. You need to get down here," the Detective's voice was thick with worry. Nikki hung up and turned to Jack, unable to keep the terror and upset from her eyes. He volunteered to drive and it took them less than fifteen minutes to get to the site. Nikki swung out of the car and rushed towards where the mass of white hooded figures stood. She didn't bother to change into her own overalls, she needed to see. Colloway saw her approaching and jogged over before she reached the rest of them.

"White female, blonde, approximately twenty eight, her name is Jennifer Smith, last seen two hours ago. He's escalating fast. The MO has changed no blunt force trauma, multiple stab wounds and she has writing all over her body. I think she's been dead less than an hour," he explained as he walked with her. Nikki's heart was beating too fast in her chest. The police officers moved aside to let her and Jack in. The sheet that she had been wrapped up in had been placed over her entire body, to protect it from the elements and any unwanted eyes but Colloway lifted it when they got close enough. This murder had been more violent, possibly rushed, which was clear from the amount of blood. She was covered from her neck to her toe in ink.

_Why can't you save them? _


	8. Fear Bred From Nightmares

Dear Reader, sorry that it has taken me so long to upload! I wasn't sure how to go about writing this chapter but I hope you enjoy. Much loove xoxo

* * *

8.

As Jack drove Nikki home, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander in the safety of his company. Tiny lights danced behind her lids and she tried to follow them, racing deeper into the recesses of darkness as the steady rhythm of the car's movement rocked her into sleep.

Out of nowhere, icy hands were ripping at her clothes, tearing here and there, snatching at her hair and scratching her skin with sharp untended nails. She tried to cry out but her mouth was sealed shut. Her scream caught in her dry, scratchy throat and she choked out a sob. Her hands and arms were bound by a seemingly invisible force and talons clawed at her face and body. She couldn't move, and when she thought the pain would cause her to black out, it stopped. The darkness was lit up by a blinding white light which hurt her eyes, but she was still unable to move her limbs. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, and she couldn't blink. All she could feel was a penetrating coldness, like her body had been left in the snow for days, but she hadn't been lucky enough to go numb. She was suspended in time, a deadly silence burning her ears. Suddenly, the white light began to fold in around her and she felt claustrophobic as it smothered her, swaddling her so tightly in a blanket of panic. Just as fear was about to suffocate her, the blanket was ripped away from her and she was left exposed to the harsh light of daylight. And then she wasn't lying frozen anymore, she was stood above her own body, watching the scene unfold. _There's been another one. Her name is Nikki Alexander. _

Nikki was snapped awake by somebody shaking her gently by the shoulder. Startled, she sat upright in the pitch black, her bearings completely off as she searched her surroundings with franticly wild eyes. The claws of the nightmare were still pinching at her mind as her breathing slowed and she was able to focus on reality. Jack gripped her by her arms and peered worriedly into her eyes.

"Nikki, hey Nikki, you okay?" he asked, a frown knitting its way onto his brow.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just fell asleep," she muttered, shaking her head. She glanced out of the window and sighed in relief, "thanks for bringing me home."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" Jack asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Of course, I'm not letting this case get to me that bad, Jack," she smiled, her lies echoing in her head as soon as she said them. She turned her back on him and pushed open the door. Before she climbed out, she sank back into the seat and shuffled closer before leaning across and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. Her lips met a dusting of stubble and she felt his smile rather than saw it.

"Thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow," she said before stepping out of the car.

Nikki felt herself scanning the garden for movement as she made her way up the long driveway towards her house. She'd left several lights on inside so that she wouldn't come home to darkness. The security light blinked into life as she stepped beneath the sensor and then the porch light followed. She unlocked the door and turned back to wave goodbye to Jack who was idling by the curb. He sounded the horn twice before tearing away, leaving Nikki alone in the stillness of the night.

Once she couldn't hear the screeching of tires from Jack's old banger of a car, she hurried inside, slamming the door and shoving the bolts on. She spun around the face the empty house and listened out for any unfamiliar sounds which would indicate an unwanted visitor. The image of the hooded man on her porch steps flickered in her memory and she shook her head to rid the thought. When she was quite content with the silence she moved through to the kitchen and headed for the fridge. She pulled out the bottle of wine she had opened several nights ago which felt emptier than she remembered leaving it and moved to fetch a wine glass.

"Stop being silly Nikki, nothing bad is going to happen to you, get a grip," she whispered to herself, annoyed at herself.

"Now now Nikki Alexander, that is not the right attitude to have tonight," a deep rough voice sounded from the doorway.

Nikki's blood ran cold and the wine bottle slipped through her fingers, smashing on the tiles at her feet.


	9. Our Interrupted Reunion

9.

Jack hated to leave her, but there was nothing more he could do. He had seen the sheer panic in her eyes when he had woken her from her brief sleep against the car window and yet there was nothing he could do to comfort her and he hated it. He had watched her to the front door and her confident smile had been enough to send him on his way. As her house shrank away in his rear-view, he let out a heavy sigh and tried to shake off the ominous feeling weighing heavy in his chest.

* * *

He wiped his dirty hands on his jeans as he stood, not bothered or worried about the dark red stains which they left on the material. His knees were muddied anyway from kneeling in the rain, but these were just small details which were unimportant and didn't matter. He looked down at the long blade in his hand and turned it over and over so that the blood glinted delicately in the moonlight. The night could not have been more perfect, the full moon casting just the right combination of light and shadow down on the earth. After several long moments of appreciation, he wiped the knife on the wet grass and slid it easily into the pocket of his hoody. He took one last look at his masterpiece laid out on the ground, knowing just how special this one was beneath the white sheet. This was the one which would tip her over the edge. And he felt so privileged to be the one who would loosen her fingertips from the ledge she clung to, and send her plummeting down into darkness.

He had to snap himself out of his thoughts in order to compose and collect himself. He knew he needed to remain calm and focused in order to get the job done properly. He'd lasted so well up to this point; he knew he could do it. So he thanked God for his strength just like he did after every kill and then he picked his way back towards his car.

* * *

Nikki couldn't scream. She couldn't even move. Just like in her dream, she was frozen, and this time it was real. First she was hit by a wave of confusion, and then the icy fingers of fear tiptoed down her spine and through her body, snatching at any piece of her they could find. She didn't flinch even when the bottle hit the kitchen floor and the glass shattered into hundreds of pieces, scattering shards and red liquid across the tiles.

"How did you get in here?" she managed to croak out, her voice wavering and her throat dry.

The man stood in her kitchen doorway was tall and muscular, his wet hair dark and tousled as if he had been running his hands through it as he walked through the rain. He was wearing a dark grey hoody and jeans which were marked with what Nikki feared was blood. He had a handsome face, not one you would match with an intruder. He wore a smile which would have been friendly if it had not been utterly terrifying. He leaned against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest as if he'd been invited round. Without saying a word, he ran a muddy hand through his hair and straightened, never taking his eyes from Nikki as he strode into the room and stood behind one of the barstools. Nikki managed to take several hasty steps backwards, but she was soon backed against the counter with nowhere to go. If she made a dash through the kitchen she would have to pass him and he would easily catch her with one stride. He was also blocking the back door. She was trapped. He seemed to be very aware of this as he glanced down at the barstool, as if asking permission to sit. When neither said a word, he slowly and deliberately dragged the heavy seat outwards, the metallic sound of the heavy base scratching against the tiles ringing out in the silence of the house.

"Who are you? Why did you come here?" Nikki asked again.

Ignoring her, he shifted his weight onto the barstool and leaned his elbows forward on the counter top. His eyes were bright with anticipation and something which sparkled within them seemed familiar to Nikki. Had she seen this man before?

"What do you want? Answer me!" she demanded, a new emotion finding its way into her voice. Anger. She was angry that this man had barged his way into her home, and didn't even have the decency to speak to her.

"See that's the Nikki I wanted to see, so fiery, takes no shit from anybody, I like this side to you," the man finally said, his voice tightly controlled and almost over friendly. The words themselves were those of compliments Nikki had heard before, but tonight they made her skin crawl. There was nothing about this man which was threatening, other than his uninvited presence and ominous state of his jeans and muddy hands. If you spoke to him in a bar or restaurant, nothing about his appearance or social ability would cause you alarm.

But Nikki knew better than to presume innocence.

"Do I know you?" she asked, desperate to place him.

"You did, but you moved up in the world by using me as a rung in your ladder of success. You don't recognise me because this is not who I was when you met me," he said, gesturing to himself. Then he turned his eyes back to her and the slow smile returned to his lips. He was waiting for her to say something, to remember him. She was grappling at nothing, pawing at thin air trying to whip up the memory of who he was, of when their paths had crossed. Somehow this man's identity was crucial.

"Did you kill those girls?" Nikki asked suddenly, unable to keep the question from tumbling out. She knew that he wanted her to figure out who he was, but there were so many questions that she needed answering. Something in his face changed and the friendly demeanour slowly slipped away like water trickling down a drain. His eyes hardened and she saw the patience fading from his smile as his lips tightened into a straight line. He let out a whistle as he dragged his hands across the counter and dropped them into his lap, sitting up straighter. In that moment, she knew it was him, the serial killer they were after.

"Nikki, I'm trying to have a conversation with you here and… and you keep… do you know how annoying it is to be interrupted during a reunion? Don't answer that. Very. Very annoying. Not to mention rude. And to accuse a man of such things, very dangerous to be throwing out accusations such as those," he said, his words rushed and low as if in warning. He wasn't looking at her anymore, but down at his hands. Nikki shot a glance towards the hallway and shuffled slightly along the counter towards the door. His face snapped up, his dark eyes burning into her and she could see that he was trying extremely hard to keep his temper.

"Look, if you leave now, I won't say that you were ever here. If you hurt me, they'll catch you. You're already going to prison for a long time. You don't have to…" Nikki began, her knees threatening to buckle beneath her as she worked to save her own life. He was not here for any other reason than to kill her. She fit the victimology perfectly: blonde, brown eyed, working in the medical profession. The only thing that didn't fit was her age; she was in her mid-thirties, not twenties.

"There is no use in trying that spare-my-life-and-I'll-keep-quiet bullshit, Nikki! I'm not stupid, as soon as you have the chance, you'll be on the phone to the police and then that scientist boyfriend of yours. This has gone on long enough and tonight it ends, I'm tired of trying to get your attention! Now that I have it in full, I'm going to enjoy myself. I've been watching you, and I know nobody comes by in the evening to your house except pizza-boy, what's his name, Jack is it? He just dropped you off so he'll be tucked up in bed by now with no intention of coming back here. It's just me and you now," he cried, leaping to his feet and shoving the barstool backwards. He was breathing hard as if it took all his energy to shout at her.

Nikki's heart was hammering dangerously in her chest as he paced backwards and forwards beside the counter, muttering under his breath. She caught the occasional curse word and could swear he was addressing God himself. Suddenly something caught his eye and he stopped midstride. A wicked grin tipped the corners of his mouth upwards and he snatched up the pile of brown envelopes from the breakfast bar.

"You kept them! You did as you were told and you kept them! Things are looking up for you Nikki," he cried, overly happy as he counted them, "they're all here, one for each," he mumbled, almost to himself.

"What do you mean?" Nikki couldn't help but ask. He ignored her and went back to pacing, shaking loose a triumphant laugh every several steps. She watched him move and slowly slid open the nearest drawer which was directly behind her. When he didn't look at her, she dipped her fingers inside and as silently as she could, she picked her way through her cutlery. Her hand brushed the handle she was looking for, and she pulled out a small kitchen slicing knife. Without a sound, she shut the drawer and tucked the knife into her back pocket.

"What to do, what to do, what to do…" he was chanting over and over again.

She took another step towards the door, moving ever slightly closer. She counted five of his strides facing her, and five with his back to her, and when he turned away after the fifth lot of paces, she made a run for it.

Her body pumped adrenaline through her veins as she forced her legs to move as fast as they could. As soon as she reached the doorway he'd seen her and taken chase. She sprinted through the house towards the front door, but just before she could reach it, her feet were kicked from under her. She went down hard, her palms smacking the ground first as she screamed out. She rolled onto her back to see him stood over her, his face furious. She could feel the knife where it was tucked away, but her position made it impossible to reach it. He swore loudly and then leaned down to grab her, but she coiled her legs backwards and delivered a swift kick to one of his knees. He faltered and stumbled and Nikki dragged herself sideways. She pulled herself to her feet but he was blocking the front door.

"Don't try that again, Nikki. I just want to talk," he hissed, coming after her again. Without hesitation she turned and ran up the stairs, using her hands to propel her faster. She could hear that he was only a beat behind her. Just as she reached the top step, he caught her ankle with his muddy hand, causing her to trip and she scraped her knees on the carpet. He was still holding on, but his grip was loose. She twisted in his grasp and with her free foot, she kicked as hard as she could. Her boot connected with his face and she heard a sickening crunch which suggested a broken nose. He let go of her with an agonising cry and his hands flew to his face, clutching where she was made contact. There was blood beginning to trickle from his nose and it was bent at an uncomfortable angle, but he was only deterred for a moment. Nikki turned and tried to escape, but she struggled to find her feet and as she scrambled, he had found his. He lunged at her with a closed fist and she took a heavy blow to the back of the head. She was halfway on the landing and halfway still on the stairs and she let out a cry of pain as she hit the floor.

"And I didn't think it would begin so quickly," his voice was thick with anger as he stepped up the last few stairs. Nikki felt as though she was getting a splitting headache, but she had to get away, lock herself in her bedroom, call the police. Her body complained as she pulled herself up onto the upstairs landing and began frantically to crawl forwards. She heard the footsteps behind her and then he was grabbing a fistful of her hair. She choked out a sob as he yanked her backwards so she was kneeling.

"But so be it," he hissed in her ear. She then he shoved her face forwards so that it smacked hard on the floor in front. She grunted in pain, and then the world swam out of focus.

* * *

**Look I'm really sorry that I had to do that, but in my defence she gives a good fight that girl. Please don't hate me for harming her and please do read on. You may recognise my plot but don't hate me for that either ;)**

**Much love**

**xoxo**


	10. Jigsaw

So I know this is very dramatic and long winded, but please just go with it

And don't hate on me too much (Laura)

Let me know what you think :)

xoxo

* * *

10.

Nikki's body ached. Her head was pounding with the worst headache she had ever experienced. She was slowly being dragged awake from a terrible nightmare, but she refused to open her eyes. She tried to roll onto her side to escape the pain which stabbed at her every muscle, but she couldn't move. All she wanted was to find comfort. Very slowly, she opened one heavy lidded eye. The other appeared to be jammed shut, fused together in a desperate attempt to avoid awareness. She was positioned on one of her dining room chairs in the centre of her kitchen, the lights dim and the house silent. The memory of the night's events flooded back and Nikki's hands flew to her face in a panic. She felt around her swollen eye and the tender bruising made her cringe in pain. She winced as she moved her fingers across her face, checking the damage. From the feel of things, her eye socket was badly damaged, the bone fractured and possibly broken. Her nose had been bleeding, she could feel the dried blood around it, but she didn't think there was any further damage. Her lips were slightly swollen and her mouth was contaminated with the rusty aftertaste of blood. She glanced down at herself and gasped at the state of her clothes. They were stained red and her blouse was ripped on one sleeve from where he had grabbed her. She was tied to the chair with her belt that she had been wearing that day, and both of her legs were strapped to the legs of the chair with what looked like duct tape. With shaking hands she began to loosen the belt buckle which was pulled as tight as it could possibly be, making it hard to breathe as her ribs complained at the pressure. She let out a sigh of pain when the buckle finally gave and she dragged it away from her body, dropping it beside her onto the tiles. She glanced up at the clock which hung above the doorway and the hands pointed to ten minutes to midnight. Jack had dropped her off just over an hour ago. Then she moved to tear away the tape which bound her ankles to the chair. As she did, she felt somebody move behind her.

"Oh Nikki you're awake!" cried a sickly cheerful voice which made Nikki's stomach churn uncomfortably. She didn't bother to turn towards him as she continued to slowly rip away her bindings. One of her legs was free and she was just beginning on the other when he grabbed her hair and yanked it so that her back was straight against the back of the chair. She cried out in pain and her hands clawed at his, trying to free herself from his grasp. He leaned in so that he could speak in her ear.

"You're not going anywhere until you hear me out," he hissed.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Nikki whimpered and he finally let her go. She remained in the seat as he slowly circled her. There was no use in running; he would catch her in a heartbeat and she would be in a worse position than she was now. There was no use in yelling either, the only house close enough to hers was inhabited by two elderly people whose hearing was off and who she desperately didn't want to put in harm's way. There was no doubt in her mind that he wouldn't think twice about hurting them if they came to her rescue. All she could do was sit tight, attempt to talk him out of killing her, and call the police as soon as she had the chance. The thought brought on a fresh wave of panic, but she knew she had to keep calm. Her life depended on it.

Once he'd made a full circle around her, he came to a halt in front of where she sat. He had cleaned himself up and his face was back to its previous handsome state, with his smooth friendly smile and straight jawline. In addition to this, however, his nose now stood out at a slightly unnatural angle and his eyes held a dangerous edge, as if his patience had all but run out. He just stood, looking at her with an expectant expression on his face, as if he was still waiting for her to solve this puzzle he had laid out for her.

"Please, just let me go. I haven't done anything to you and I don't know who you are. I'm sorry," Nikki breathed when the silence felt as though it could stretch out forever.

"I am offended and thoroughly hurt by your words," he gasped, staggering backwards dramatically and clutching his chest, "however, I did not expect you to remember who I am as I was so insignificant in your life. But I remember you, Nikki Alexander." He hissed, stepping closer to her. She looked up at him blankly, trying desperately to put his face to a name.

"My name," he went on with an exasperated sigh, "is Edward Rowan, and you'll find me in your past if you go as far back as university. We both studied Pathology, only you for much longer than I. We were partners on several studies and papers, I can't believe how easily you forgot me!" he barked a laugh and then shook his head with a large smile plastered to his face. He appeared to be enjoying this. Nikki searched her memory, running the name over and over again in her head, but there was nothing.

"Edward…" she whimpered as she shook her head at him, a sob breaking in her throat, "I'm sorry. What does that have to do with those girls, with this, with me now?"

"In our first year we were a great team and I helped you get by because my knowledge of biology was far more advanced than yours," he gloated, "however you began to distance yourself from me, you ignored me, you paired up with somebody else on papers, you took credit for things that I taught you," he went on, his voice laced with bitterness and anger.

Nikki was shaking her head from side to side. Something about what he was saying seemed distantly familiar, but he was twisting it in a way that buried the truth and disguised the facts. She had worked with somebody in her first year at university, but he had spooked her on several occasions. His fascination with the death of the human body was beyond normal, and he became enchanted by the idea of death. Several other students on her course had noticed the same thing but they all thought nothing of it. He was just a student who was very passionate about his work and he knew what he was talking about. Maybe a little too passionate, but he was harmless. Strangely, Nikki's memory of Edward burned out there. She did not remember anything more about him.

"I didn't make it past the first year. I was suspended because of accusations of plagiarism. A term paper, Nikki Alexander, which we worked on together. I was wrongly accused of submitting copied work. But I know the truth," he hissed, "You used me! And you cost me my degree, my future!" he yelled all of a sudden. His eyes were burning with such fury that Nikki couldn't bear to look. The words he was saying were false and his reality was far different from hers. He was deluded.

"I never took your work Edward, I would never use you," Nikki breathed.

"Don't lie to me! I never graduated because of you! I was refused entry to several universities because they believed me to be a threat to the work ethic of others and all because you submitted my hard work!" he yelled, pacing backwards and forwards.

"So I watched you graduate, qualify, train and land your job at the Lyell Centre," he spat, "you've done very well in fact."

"You're obsessional!" Nikki cried out, bile rising in her throat, "have you been stalking me?" she yelled, panic and fear threatening to overwhelm her, "how did you find me here?"

"I went away for a while, tried to get a job and forget about how you ruined my life," he went on, his voice calmer now.

"You would never have made it as a pathologist!" Nikki spat, "I remember you, your obsession with the dead wasn't normal! You were attracted to the thought of death itself rather than the cause of it!" she yelled.

"Shut up! You don't say things like that!" he screamed, his eyes wide with anger as he pointed his finger in her face.

"If you tried to forget, why did you come here?" she asked around a sob.

"I moved between cities, between jobs. I couldn't keep one down, I couldn't focus on anything. My thoughts were always with you, how you had my life. I hated you. I needed to ruin everything you had just like you did to me all those years ago," he smiled hatefully.

"You're crazy," she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks, "why did you wait so long? Why did you kill all those girls?"

"Details details! These things aren't important Nikki! I had to go away for a while and this slowed my plans," he muttered.

"You went inside?" Nikki asked, the pieces slowly falling into place.

"Assault of a minor," he said with a dismissal wave of his hand, "Very boring story. I went away for a few years. When I came out I had all these ideas," he grinned wickedly.

"So I came to check on you, and you were doing well, sadly. You're right, death is fascinating, and you have no idea how powerful you can feel by being the cause of it. So I went looking for you and you would not believe the amount of women who work in medicine who look just like you when you qualified. Pretty, I must admit. Some of them I wanted to keep, but they had to die. I wanted to send you a message, I wanted to perfect my technique," he hissed.

"So they were replacements of me? This was all for me?" Nikki felt sick. All this time she had believed that she fit the profile of the killer. She had never thought for one moment that his inspiration was her. He had chosen those girls to fit his fantasy of killing her. They had died because of her.

"You saw my art, the girls were for you. But none of them will compare to this final masterpiece," he grinned, leaning in so close that his voice was barely above a whisper.

As he had been talking, Nikki had slowly been untying her leg from the chair. She was now perched on the edge, clutching the seat. He was just inches from her, and he was laughing at her vulnerability. He was going to kill her, and she knew it. In one swift movement and with all her strength, Nikki jolted her head forward. She made connection with the front of his face, catching him off guard. He went sprawling backwards, landing in a heap and Nikki took her chance. He was howling in pain clutching his already broken nose when she bolted, but he scrambled quickly to his feet and took chase. She ran through the house, reaching the front door and throwing it open. She pumped her arms faster but she had barely made it off the porch when he caught her arm. He swung her around and punched her in the stomach. She grunted in pain and tried to clutch the knife which she had tucked away earlier that evening. Her hands fumbled at nothing. The knife was gone.

"Looking for this little sneaky weapon?" he hissed in her ear as he dragged her towards the house. He held up the knife which he must have removed from her pocket when she was unconscious. She was screaming now at the top of her lungs. She needed to wake the street up; it was her only chance now. She fought against his grip, pulling away with all her might, hammering her fists against his body, dragging her heals into the ground.

"Stop struggling, don't make this any harder!" he was yelling as he fought her.

Then, with little warning, Edward plunged the knife into Nikki's body. She felt the cool blade cut through her skin and she gasped in pain, her eyes widening in that single moment. Her movements stilled and he stopped dragging her. The world seemed to slow down around them and Nikki looked from Edward's shocked face, to the protruding handle.

"Look what you made me do," she heard him hiss, but only somewhere far away.

There was a ringing in her ears as if she was under water, the world echoing around her. She coughed and her mouth was filled with copper. She felt the thick liquid drop from her lips and she couldn't even move to wipe it away. Something was filling her lungs and she was drowning on dry land. The wound was cold, ice cold, and the sensation was beginning to spread as her dark red blood spread across her blouse. She coughed again, more blood blocking her airways as she struggled to stand. She was clutching Edward now as he pulled her towards the porch steps. She could no longer hear anything other than her own gurgling struggle for breath. Edward collapsed under her weight on the top step and laid her down more gently than she had expected. She didn't want him to hold her while she died. She didn't want his face to be the last face she ever saw. A tear made its tracks down her bruised face and she turned her head away from him. Her body was shaking uncontrollably now and her breathing was now coming in quick gasps and gulps. She was losing a lot of blood and she feared that the knife had punctured her lung. She thought she could hear the sound of sirens, but she knew it was her mind playing cruel tricks on her in her final moments.

"Not long now and this will all be over," Edward whispered gently, but Nikki was trying to ignore him. Her murderer was trying to comfort her and lull her into the next life. She was fighting against it as she clutched her wound, her hands slippery with her own blood.

Suddenly, two bright white lights swung into her driveway and blinded her eyes. There was the sound of screeching tires somewhere and that siren again, louder this time. Black dots were beginning to dance in her vision and her lungs were collapsing. She was suffocating. She was unable to keep her eyes open anymore, so she let the darkness pull her under.

But death wouldn't come for her. Her body was slowly shutting down, but the world was rotating and she could feel it. She could feel everything. She could hear the frantic beat of running footsteps and somebody yelling her name. But she couldn't open her eyes. Even when she was ripped away from the ground. Even when she was floating. Even when warm shaking fingers clutched her own. Even when the sirens wailed loud and real in her ears.


	11. It's Over Now Kiddo

**So I'm really sorry for how long this chapter has taken to upload, and I'm also sorry for how short and uneventful it is! There isnt much left to say I'm afraid, but I hope you like how I'm bringing it to a close. Thanks for being patient hehe!**

**Much love**

**xoxo**

* * *

11.

Lights flashed overhead before blinking into complete darkness. Nikki felt as if she were floating through space, her body weightless. She felt nothing, no pain. The cold was gone, replaced with only numbness.

Suddenly her body was jolted as if she'd driven her car over a speed-bump in the road and she felt somebody pushing something onto her face, over her mouth and nose. She fought the fogginess in her mind, and her eyes snapped open as she gasped for breath. All around her was movement, and the unbearable pain in her stomach was back. She wished she could return to the comfort of being numb, but no such wish was granted. From what she could tell, she was in an ambulance, the sirens blazing loud to clear the way outside. A paramedic stood above her holding a plastic mask over her face which pumped clean oxygen into her lungs. She took several deep breaths of the gas and air and felt light headed, but it did little to numb the pain. He was also barking orders to someone stood beside her, but she could hear no words. Somebody was holding her hand, clutching it so tightly. She looked along her arm and found the person on the end of it. Jack's face was lined with worry and his grey shirt was dark with blood. Her blood. His hand was slippery in hers and she tried to squeeze his fingers, but she couldn't muster the energy.

"Nikki, I'm here, we're on the way to the hospital. You're going to be okay, just stay with me!" Jack was calling, and she could finally hear through the fogginess that clouded her thoughts. The ambulance bounced over a bump in the road and a high pitched buzzing noise echoed in Nikki's ears. The edges of her vision began to blur and Jack's voice and the sirens were fading. Before she could stop it, the darkness swallowed her up.

* * *

Nikki blinked her eyes slowly awake. Her head was groggy as if she was waking from a long nights sleep. Momentarily her memory was blank and she moved to roll out of bed, fearing she was late for work. A warm hand reached out to stop her movement and her eyes came to focus on a familiar face.

"Jack," she mumbled her voice hoarse from lack of use. Her tall colleague smiled down at her and helped her move back onto her back. She took a moment to take in her surroundings, staring from the clinically white walls and then down at the crisp scratchy sheets on the cold metal bed on which she lay. The smell of disinfectant burned her nose and the steady beat and hum of hospital machinery filled her ears.

"Why am I in the hospital Jack?" she muttered, staring down at her arm where a needle was taped to the crook of her elbow. There was a constant flow of liquid being dripped carefully into her blood stream, pain killers administered as and when she needed them.

"You don't remember?" Jack asked, cocking his head to one side and assessing her with a frown. His face was lined with worry and stubble was forming across his cheeks and jawline. Nikki began to shake her head, but a throbbing pain in her ribcage caused a wave of memory to wash over her, threatening to drown her. She had been attacked in her home, the place she was supposed to feel safe, by a delusional serial killer.

"What happened after I…?" Nikki croaked, shutting her eyes and holding her breath, summoning the strength to ask the question she needed answering.

"Your neighbours, they heard screaming. They called the police. The ambulance arrived just as it happened. If they had been any later…" Jack stopped to shake his head and Nikki noticed his clenched fists by his side. He hadn't needed her to finish her question; he knew what she wanted to know.

"You were there… In the ambulance with me…" she said, a little unsure as she tried to piece the information together.

"I just had a feeling, Nikki. A real bad feeling that you weren't okay. So I drove back to your house as fast as I could. I pulled in just after the ambulance. Shit Nikki I thought you were dead," he said, his eyes hooded and dark. Nikki swallowed around a lump in her throat and moved her hands over the bandaged wound in her torso.

"I thought I was dead too," she smiled weakly.

"You lost a lot of blood on the way in, but they took you straight to surgery and fixed you up pretty good. The knife didn't hit any major organs; it missed your lungs by a centimetre… The surgeon said you were lucky," Jack explained, taking a seat in the bedside chair, tugging it closer and leaning his elbows forward on the bed.

"I feel real lucky," Nikki scoffed, turning her face away, "what's the rest of the damage?"

"One of your ribs is fractured, your nose is broken and your eye socket is fractured, but the rest is bruising. The swelling should go down within a few days. You've been signed out of work until you've recovered fully," Jack replied.

"And what happened to _him?" _she asked.

"He's been arrested. The amount of evidence against him means he's going away for a long time. The police had to, er, drag me off him," Jack sighed, scratching his face and coughing into his fist.

"You went for him?" Nikki asked, unable to hide her slight smile. She was never one to condone violence, and even Jack's pass time of fighting caused her a little discomfort, but who was she kidding. That bastard deserved an eternity of violence towards him, not just for what he did to her, but for what he did to those girls too. She hated him with everything she was, and it exhausted her.

"I saw you like that and I thought he'd killed you too, like those girls, and I couldn't stop myself. He was laughing while my hands were around his throat…" Jack shook his head again, his voice dripping with venom. Nikki reached out and took his hand in hers. He squeezed her fingers tight and they sat like that for several long moments.

"Leo's been here every day, but someone had to go back to work. The case is closed and there's a lot of paper work lingering. You're lucky you get out of that," he grinned and she couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Thanks Jack," she said sincerely.

"For what?"

"For everything. Just thanks," she smiled and he squeezed her shoulder.

"It's over now kiddo," he said and they both breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Suddenly Nikki felt a painful twinge in her side and gritted her teeth together.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, searching her face.

"Yes, it just hurts," she mumbled, trying to blink away the sharp stabbing pain.

"I'll get a nurse," he said as he stood and disappeared. Moments later he returned, followed by a short red headed nurse with a name badge which read 'Heather'. She smiled down at Nikki and messed with the drip in her arm. It took only seconds for the meds to filter into her veins and she felt awash with relief. Her head was becoming fuzzy, her thoughts swelling and then shrinking away. She giggled.

"Thanks Jack," she muttered again.

And then the drugs pulled her under.


	12. Hope

12.

The sky was a clear blue, the sun shining down on the busy hustle and bustle of city life. Parents dropped their children off at school, students headed to college for early morning lectures, friends met up for coffee and a jury sent a serial killer to prison for the rest of his life.

Nikki Alexander woke up with a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, almost as if she'd eaten stones and they were dragging her body down. She rolled onto her side and looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table, watching as the little flashing numbers rolled lazily to 7.42. With a shaky sigh, she swung her legs out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash and dress. She tugged on a pair of dark jeans and a grey blouse, but after assessing her reflection in the mirror she decided against dark colours.

One month ago Nikki had been attacked and stabbed in her own home by a serial killer who had been hunting her down. She had survived the attack, and she was thankful for every morning when she opened her eyes and was able to watch the sun come up. She strongly believed that each day was a blessing, and she wanted to make the most of every minute. She wasn't a victim, not in the same way that those girls were, and she refused to act like one. She blamed herself for their deaths, and she had made a promise to herself that she would not let her life crumble to pieces because of a sad, vengeful little man. She had to keep on living or he had won.

She folded the grey blouse and placed it back in the drawer before pulling on a cream floral vest. She shucked off her dark jeans and stepped into her favourite pair of pale pink ones instead, before turning to face the floor length mirror in her bedroom. She smiled at her reflection, feeling a little more positive about the day. She gently touched her torso just below her rib cage where the knife had penetrated her body. There was nothing but a scar there now, a permanent reminder of how close she had been to death.

Today was the day that Nikki had been both anticipating and dreading. Trial day. Her colleague, and close friend Jack Hodgson was picking her up at eleven and they were attending together. Although Nikki was a vital part of the trial, giving evidence against him, she wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and sleep until it was all over and he was safely in his cell, never to see the light of day again.

When Jack knocked on the door at quarter to eleven, Nikki took a deep breath, grabbed her blazer and joined him outside. The day was beautiful, the sun warming her skin and the breeze blowing her hair gently away from her face. The beginnings of summer. The flower beds either side of Nikki's porch were starting to bloom, bursting with the colourful flowers of summertime.

"You ready?" Jack asked, flashing her a smile before leading the way off her steps and towards his car.

"As I'll ever be," she replied.

It was good to see Jack. His warm smile which always hinted at trouble did much to settle Nikki's nerves, and she was glad that he was beside her. He'd been to visit her numerous times when she had been in hospital and then he'd stopped by the house after she was released to bring her necessities before leaving her to recover in peace. He'd done more than was necessary and she was forever grateful for his support over the last several weeks.

As he pulled up outside the court, Nikki turned to face him with wide eyes, all colour drained from her face. Jack cut the engine and leaned closer, taking one of her cold hands in his. He could feel her trembling slightly, the realisation of who she was about to face suddenly hitting her with full force.

"Nikki, you can do this okay. After this is done, it will all be over and you can move on with your life. I promise you this is it. There's no way that scumbag is getting out of this, but you already have, and you're so strong. I know you can get through this, okay?" Jack said gently, his eyes burning into hers. She nodded vigorously and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her heart beat against her chest so fast that her ribcage complained at the pressure. Jack gave her fingers a tight squeeze and then swung out of the car. Nikki took a final deep breath and followed.

When Nikki and Jack stepped out of the court doors at one o'clock that same afternoon, the sun shone brighter and the sky seemed bluer. Nikki breathed in a lungful of the fresh air and couldn't help the smile on her face. The verdict had been reached within the hour, but court proceedings had taken place before and after, dragging out the process longer than Nikki could bear. Guilty. As the gavel came down to punctuate a life sentence without parole, Nikki had met his eyes across the room from the gallery and she had smiled. A gesture which said everything. A gesture which told him 'you lose.'

That evening Nikki met Jack in the underbelly of a local bar. She'd never been there before, but Jack had giving her instructions on how to get there, and then how to get past the doormen to get down stairs. She stood amongst a rowdy crowd who shouted and yelled the names of the two men fighting, watching him with gritted teeth and hands half covering her eyes. She watched as he danced back and forth on his bare feet, arms raised holding fists close to his head. He was light on his feet, striking out at his opponent before dropping back, landing every punch. On several occasions she had to look away when he took a blow to the face, sending blood spattering across the ground. She held her breath and shouted Jack's name in support, hating it every time the other man got the upper hand. Jack feigned right and then left, swinging his arms quickly and accurately at his opponent. The blonde man who was young, possibly only in his late twenties, staggered backwards and Jack took the opportunity to strike out again. This punch sent the man crashing down, his head connecting with the concrete with a sickening crack. Nikki held her breath but let out a sigh of relief when he groaned and rolled onto his side. Jack grinned and the crowd counted to three at the top of their voices before breaking out into cheers for Jack's victory. He held his arms up and shot Nikki a cocky smirk. As the crowd broke away, she made her way towards him. He spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped his arm across his mouth. Nikki bit her tongue to avoid a sarcastic comment about his masculine gesture, and instead congratulated him.

"So now you have witnessed 'The Cobra' in action, how do you feel?" he asked as Nikki handed him a towel. He wiped his face with it, staining the material red, and slung it over his shoulder. His bare chest was glistening with sweat and he bent forward to brace his hands on his knees while he caught his breath.

"The Cobra? Is that what you call yourself?" Nikki grinned.

"It will catch," he shot back, matching her smile.

"I thought it was horrible, why would you come and watch that?" she said, folding her arms across her chest. Jack straightened and cocked his head to one side, assessing Nikki's expression.

"Entertainment my sweet hearted friend. You're too soft," he laughed, bumping his knuckles gently against her shoulder.

"I see the aftermaths of violence every day, remember Jack. I don't need to entertain myself with it," she grinned.

"You know that feeling running through your blood? That's adrenalin. It means you were excited and you were entertained. You can't hide from me Nikki Alexander," Jack said, his smirk tilting higher. Nikki dropped her head back and laughed, shaking her head and nudging her shoulder against him playfully.

"Come on Mr Cobra, I'll buy you a drink upstairs. This place creeps me out. Put a shirt on would you," she said, gesturing to the ceiling. They could just about hear the sound of the music being played in the bar upstairs.

"I thought you might like me better this way," Jack teased, puffing out his chest. Nikki looked down at the hard flat muscles of his abs, tracing the faint defining lines with her eyes.

"Put a shirt on," she repeated with a grin.

"If you insist," he shrugged, "and it's theCobra."


End file.
